The Cottonwool Election 139


On 13 March I blogged “I can assure you the Tories are already considering how to avoid having Leaders’ Debates on television for the next general election. For Corbyn to be able to put a radical message directly to the public, and May’s deficiencies in debate to be so directly exposed, is something they will not want at all. May should be seen and not heard, is their motto.”

When I assure you of things, you should believe me. I do not use such language unless based on direct knowledge. Please revisit that entire article: I promise you it is worth reading.

In the quite extraordinary public politics of the terminal phase of the existence of the United Kingdom, the system of controlled democracy has reached its apotheosis. The media message has achieved a startling degree of unanimity. The Overton Window has become the Overton Slit.

This will be the most controlled general election ever. Never will the message have been so focussed, debate and alternatives have been so excluded. Attempts to query or challenge the Tory narrative will be ridiculed and marginalised.

Theresa May is simply not very bright, is hopeless in debate and has all the charisma of a rabid ferret. She will appear only when speaking from on high to an utterly deferential setting, as in yesterday’s general election announcement. The media’s election will consist of an unremitting barrage of propaganda continuing its xenophobic theme, based upon a few May set pieces. Expect softball interviews by Tory Kuenssberg and Nick Robinson, to give the impression of democratic challenge.

Nicola Sturgeon and yes, Jeremy Corbyn, would demolish May in debate. If any party other than the Tories was declining to take part in debate, the media would quite rightly attack them for it. Do not however expect any more than token remonstration from the broadcasters; they are far too complicit in the cottonwool packaging of May, and have too deep an investment in the Unionist project, to rock the boat. Indeed, the media will now seek to frame any debate between opposition leaders which does go ahead as a gathering of losers, a carnival of grotesques.

Any resemblance between this British general election and democracy is purely coincidental.


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139 thoughts on “The Cottonwool Election

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  • Habbabkuk

    Craig has wasted no time in wheeling out one of the standard alibis to explain why the Conservatives will crush the other English parties at the upcoming election.

    The sense of panic he exhibits in this latest post is somewhat puzzling; after all, if this snap election is an element in the” terminal phase of the existence of the UK” then surely it should be welcomed by someone who seeks the breakup of the UK?

    It is also worth remarking how much of a media person Craig has become; his political posts seem to focus less and less on the substance of policy and more and more on how things(and personalities) are presented (or not presented) in the MSM.

    • Chris Rogers

      Habbabkuk,

      Please go and campaign for the Tories, which is where you belong, whilst I will be campaigning in Wales personally to try and ensure the Tories are eradicated in my neck of the woods, I’ll be doing this via Unite Community Cardiff Chapter, as will many other actual socialists banned from the Labour Party.

        • glenn_uk

          I’d be highly offended if anyone accused me of acting as apologist for the Tories too. But surely this is fair comment as far as you’re concerned?

          Isn’t there just a bit of panic in the way you rushed to stifle the truth, in your top post where you knee-jerked an attack on the messenger here?

    • Alcyone

      Yes as I said in a recent post, it’s a time of:

      “A referendum for the sake of a referendum

      Politics for the sake of politics.

      Independence for the sake of independence.”
      https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2017/04/media-tory-lies-stripped-bare-ashcroft-poll/comment-page-1/#comment-667636
      ———
      In terms of policy, I wonder if people agree that for a you-only-live-twice referendum such as being proposed for Scotland, that the requirement of a supermajority of the Scottish electorate is not fairer and thus more apt?

    • Harry Vimes

      Gosh Moriarity, matters must be really desperate when this site’s amateur court jester (TM) is reduced to pathetic attempts to present England and the UK as the same entity.

      Question is, is this deliberate – ie does Britain’s answer to the birth pill actually understand the difference between the apple and the orange in this case – or does he genuinely incapable of getting it? Rogue or a fool? My money is on both. What does everyone else think?

    • Hmmm

      I thought alibi means “wasn’t there”?
      The word you’re looking for is reason.
      Judged on policies alone Corbyn would storm it.
      I know that people are influenced by media cos I hear people talking bollocks all the time.

  • Chris Rogers

    If the Scottish electorate believes in actual ‘Democracy’, the Social Contract and a more Humanist government that governs for the interest of all of Scotland, then its necessary for all the electorate to support a Party who’s only aim is complete succession from the UK, which means after the June GE all Scotland’s MPs need to refuse to take their seats in Parliament and instead usher in a Constitutional Convention in Scotland with the aim of creating a Nation-State independent from England. Although a socialist who’d prefer a Leftwing majority within Westminster, the fact remains its unlikely to happen, as such, I understand fully the Scottish electorates desire to see an end to Tory mis-rule by any means possible. And if this means a Unilateral Declaration of Independence, so be it. Stand proud Scotland and let it be known this Welshman supports your desire to be FREE.

    • Clydebuilt

      Well said Chris, if only the Scottish Branch office of the Labour Party cared as much for their fellow man. Labour in Scotland are despicable, working to keep Scotland under the control of a right wing Tory government knowing full well they have no chance of outing.
      I’d wear being kicked out /banned from today’s Labour Party as a badge of honour. (That’s not intended as an attack on Corbyn).

    • Chris Rogers

      I’m a proud Celt opposed to perpetual Tory Rule – if Scotland can rid themselves of the buggers the Scots have my unconditional support.

  • David Horton

    I suppose one solution would be for the other leaders to hold a debate with an empty chair…the unasked question being..”what has she to hide”?

      • Habbabkuk

        It might well fall foul of the law in any case (if classed as an election broadcast).

        • glenn_uk

          The law says that if one candidate slinks off, too cowardly to debate, the whole thing is off?

      • michael norton

        The Disappearing Prime Minister

        now closed

        however the subject is gaining import.
        Theresa has been accused by the S. N. P. of being the unelected Prime minister.

        If Theresa wins this G.E. she will no longer be the unelected Prime minister of The United Kingdom,
        I am sure that will give Nicola comfort, that she has encouraged Theresa on this course.

      • Hardtail

        Well, SKY’s Sophie Ridge pretty much did that with May when she asked her opinion about Trump’s “grab ’em the pussy” comments but that’s coz’ Murdoch owns May. The BBC supplicate themselves to the Tories instead.

    • Chris Rogers

      David,

      Not too sure if you can remember, but in June 1993 Roy Hattersley was replaced by a Tub of Lard having pulled out of Have I Got News for You on three occasions – the Tub of Lard was very popular, so perhaps for Ms May we can make it a Tub of Shite, here’s a You Tube Link to the fact: http://dai.ly/x3azcyu

  • Habbabkuk

    Let’s assume for a moment that this will be a “cotton wool election”.

    If by “cotton wool” we mean calm and civilised, then what is wrong with that?

    Do we want the sort of elections we saw in the US, where the losing side has indulged itself by staging violent demonstrations, or in France where the first round of the Presidential has seen pitched battles between rioters and the forces of law and order?

    It is curious that some people seem unhappy with elections that are carried out calmly and without violence whether physical or rhetorical…..

    Such people are not demcrats but rather proto-fascists.

    • craig Post author

      By “Cottonwool” I mean the extremely well known English idiom “to wrap in cottonwool” which is defined in the OED as “to be overprotective of someone”. Now stop being deliberately obtuse, it’s not clever.

      • Habbabkuk

        My English is good enough to know how you’re using it, Craig. And my drafting skills and knowledge of the drafting skills of FCO people are also good enough to be able to recognise sub-texts.

        • Dave Price

          Deliberately misunderstanding the accepted meaning of a phrase your protagonist uses and then developing an argument based on that misunderstanding is simply idiotic: once your misunderstanding is pointed out all your subsequent argument becomes worthless. You really need to find a new technique, Habbs.

          • Rob The Scot

            Habbabkuk After reading many of you comments you really do not Grasp what is going on + your attitude is one of
            ” speaking from on high ” and down to other people with your self righteousness
            We all understand how Craig has explained the COTTON WOOL Well known expression
            maybe its time you went back to Primary School + learnt some basics

      • Alcyone

        Better a cotton-wool election if that’s your perception, than a mothballed Brexit referendum.

        Masterstroke by May. Checkmate.

  • Habbabkuk

    On the subjects of “leaders debates”, these are a foolish American import which have much less to do with informing the public and enhancing democracy than with providing free broadcasting material for the broadcasting companies.

    Such debates lend themselves to silly soundbites and glib one-liners and cannot possibly be seen as a useful addition to the careful study of what political parties are proposing (or avoiding proposing) by other means.

    Moreover they are a further unwelcome move towards an American-style Presidentialisation of the UK political process.

    They are, in essence, just silly. No thoughtful person could possibly attack any political leader who took a stand on this question,

    • Hmmm

      Manifestos are silly. Pledges are silly. British politics is silly. Your rants are silly. Easy innit?

      • Habbabkuk

        I think you’ve summed up everything admirably, Hmmm.

        CRAIG – next thread, please!

        • D_Majestic

          Yes-too much room for embarrassment and defeat on this one. So let’s debate something else. Lol. Couldn’t make it up, H. Craig has it completely right. Debate will be avoided at all costs because our Saint is likely to be floored repeatedly in any of it. Thatcher she is certainly not. Craig’s wonderful phrase “Softball interviews” will follow in absolute profusion. Those who can do so must call them out whenever they are seen.

    • Iain Stewart

      “Moreover they are a further unwelcome move towards an American-style Presidentialisation of the UK political process.” Too true, and not confined to the UK either.

    • Dave Price

      “Moreover they are a further unwelcome move towards an American-style Presidentialisation of the UK political process”.

      And yet your detailed rebuttal of the policies of the Labour party amounts to proposing a bet on the chances of Jeremy Corbyn becoming Prime Minister.

      • Habbabkuk

        Price

        I have shown great restraint – more restraint than would normally be warranted – toward your generally substance-free and asinine comments but this time I shall have to put you right, I’m afraid.

        There is no need for me to offer a “detailed rebuttal” of Labour Party policies 9isofar as these are in fact discernable) – you will easily find such detailed rebuttals all over the place – all the more so as there is no “detailed defence” of Labour Party policies on this blog.

        Hence my opinion of those policies (or lack of them) is in fact well summarised by my offering a bet on the liklihood of Mr Jeremy Cor-byn winning the forthcoming general election.

        You are in fact a double fool because it is perfectly in order for one to point to the growing Presidentialisation of UK general elections without commenting at the same time on the policies of the various political parties. The two matters, while linked (because we are talking politics), are nevertheless separate issues.

        • Dave Price

          Habbs,

          Is it the concept you are struggling with, or the argument? The concept is surely simple enough: if you concentrate on the leader of the party, ignoring the party’s policies and other candidates for office, evaluating the leader alone in terms of ‘electability’, you are making the process more presidential. Affecting to run a gambling book on Corbyn’s chances of being elected prime minister clearly falls under this description. And yet the argument seems clear also: in view of your offer to bet on Corbyn you are a liar and/or a hypocrite to claim that May’s refusal to debate is to be welcomed because it prevents our election process becoming more presidential.

  • Sharp Ears

    In the previous thread I said ‘She will not engage in TV debates. Frit Treeza?’

    Predictable responses followed from the usual suspects.

  • reel guid

    One of the reasons they’ll try to avoid the Leader’s debates is because Nicola hit it out the ball park in Birmingham in 2015. In that same debate Cameron just played safe defending his wicket like the patient, crafty batsman he is. Ed Miliband by contrast just looked and sounded useless. One of the enduring images of that election – apart from the ‘Edstone’ – was of a gormless Miliband looking at Nicola Sturgeon, Leanne Wood and Natalie Bennett doing their group hug on stage after the debate.

    The Tory high command knows that May is , if anything, an even less effective public performer than Ed Miliband. Although granted she doesn’t trip on steps as much as him.

    I read somewhere that May didn’t make it into the Oxford Union as she wasn’t considered good enough as a speaker and she had to make do with the presidency of some lesser speaking club where the accent is on humour rather than serious debate. Not that she seems to have acquired much wit from the experience.

  • adams

    We need PR very badly not this FPTP status quo charade . I will vote UKIP and I will always get a Liebour apparatchik MP where I live .

    ‘ Any resemblance between this British general election and democracy is purely coincidental. ‘ AGREED >

    • Habbabkuk

      If there were PR in UK general elections, the SNP would not hold all the Scottish Westminster seats but one or two.

      Which probably explains the silence of those on here who otherwise frequently bitch on about FPTP.

      • reel guid

        One or two? You just post things without the slightest research Habba. The SNP got 50% of the vote in 2015. Which under a PR system would obviously have given them around half the seats.

        • craig Post author

          To be fair to Habbabkuk (and I have no idea why I should) his comment was badly phrased however he meant “but” in the sense of “except” and by “1 or 2” he meant 3.

        • Habbabkuk

          Yes, but not virtually all of them.

          I should have said “..all the Scottish Westminster sets save one or two”

  • Sharp Ears

    Prime minister accused of dodging TV showdowns
    Sean O’Neill, Chief Reporter
    April 19 2017, 9:00am,
    The Times

    Theresa May is said to believe that there is no need for debates because the country faces a clear choice between her and Jeremy Corbyn
    EPA photo

    The prime minister was accused of dodging television debates during the election campaign after Downing Street ruled out her participation.

    Theresa May is said to believe that there is no need for debates because the country faces a clear choice between her and Jeremy Corbyn. “They’re not going to happen,” a No 10 source said.

    Mrs May told the BBC’s Today programme: “I believe in campaigns where politicians actually get out and about and meet with voters.

    “That’s what I have always believed in, it’s what I still believe and I still do it – as prime minister, as a constituency MP, I still go out and knock on doors in my constituency.

    “That’s what I believe in doing, that’s what I’m going to be… paywall.
    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/may-accused-of-dodging-tv-showdowns-dkcqlpjbs?

    So glad she won’t be knocking on my door nor will any of the local Tories if I have anything to do with it. Surrey is totally ‘blue’, all 11 of the barstewards – Hammond, Hunt, Milton, Beresford, Gove, Lord, Blunt, Raab, Grayling, Gymiah, Kwarteng. Very depressing to live in this political desert with Tory crooks in the CC too.

  • Chris Rogers

    @Habbabkuk,

    Your misrepresentations of the TRUTH are well known, as is the fact you are an establishment stooge. Further, given I hold a valid UK Passport and actually know how to book return ticket to Heathrow from Asia, what’s so unusual with a UK citizen being in the UK for a General Election. Perhaps as the racist you are you still think Hong Kong is connected to the UK by steam boat only, which just goes to show how demented you actually are. Oh, and behind the times by a century at least.

    • Habbabkuk

      Chris

      I really have no idea what you’re on about or why you’re on about whatever it is.

      Please explain.

      • Chris Rogers

        You insinuated on these boards I’m not in the UK for the GE – which is funny, as in the UK for 4 weeks as of 10 May for dental treatment, so will be at Unite Cardiff HQ helping getting rid of Tories in Cardiff and Gower during my stay, which coincides with a snap GE.

  • J

    If you’re with Haberdasher, this is what you’re campaigning for, among other things:

    2015 saw the largest annual percentage increase in mortality rates since the 6.3% rise recorded between 1967 and 1968. 529,655 deaths registered in England and Wales in 2015, compared with 501,424 in 2014, an increase of 5.6%

    400,000 children are now living in poverty, a figure which rose 100,000 in 2015/16. 67% of those are from working families.

    Food bank usage has risen, with over half a million people reliant [paywall] on just the Trussell Trust for food packages.

    In two reports, the UN heavily criticised the Tories for “grave” and “systematic” violations of disabled people’s human rights. The government, meanwhile, has severely cut their benefits.

    The past year has seen strikes by junior doctors, rail workers, teaching assistants, library workers, and other public sector staff. Their pay increases have mostly been capped at 1%.

    National debt has increased by more than 50%.

    Homelessness has risen by 54%.

    Corporations have seen tax cuts while the tax gap is around £120bn per year.

    The NHS has seen a real terms cut in the amount of money given to it per patient. While the amount of NHS money paid to ‘independent’ companies has more than doubled to £8bn a year.

    The government has cut the number of people getting social care by 26%. And it has cut £50m from children’s mental health services.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5i63jyYFcg

    • Habbabkuk

      Well, J, with a situation such as you describe, Mr Jeremy Cor-byn and the Labour Party should walk it, shouldn’t they? 🙂

      Oh! but I forgot! how silly of me – they won’t because the MSM re all against him and Mrs May will be cocconed.

      Bwaaaaah !

    • Sharp Ears

      Thank you J for this litany of what is happening to this country under the Tories.

      Ken Loach was interviewed on BBC News this morning. He was saying the same with great strength and feeling. No trace of it on the BiBiCee website needless to say but I managed to find it on the iPlayer. Hope you can access it,

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08msf64/victoria-derbyshire-19042017
      1hr 44mins in.

      The man with the sunglasses on the top of his head was supposed to be a Labour supporter. More like a plant and you can see that he was allowed to hog the proceedings. Lynton Crosby has already started work! ;).

      • Sharp Ears

        Just on Ch 4, the start of a series ‘Confessions of a Junior Doctor’. Tells it like it is. The stress they work under is unbelievable. Hope Hunt is watching.

        Episode 1: The graduates begin work and start to experience the reality of life as an NHS doctor

        There is a Catch Up facility on the Ch 4 website.

  • G. Jones

    Thank you. Exactly what will happen. Possibly with the loss of a few Libdem seats.

    Teresa May saving the nation from a situation she created (by insisting on ‘hard Brexit’) in the first place is a bit rich. I considered her dangerous because she is vain. Her level of incompetence would be 6th form prefect in my opinion.

    Her repeated claim that the UK will be like Singapore is never challenged. What on earth does that mean?

    • glenn_uk

      “Her repeated claim that the UK will be like Singapore is never challenged. What on earth does that mean?

      That probably means the UK will have a very well protected investor class, an exceedingly poor regard for human rights, very high levels of inequality, and an exceptionally authoritarian security state. In that respect, we’re definitely heading in the right direction if we want to be like Singapore!

      The default of “hard Brexit” is ludicrous. We should be looking for a default like Norway’s deal with the EU.

      • Clodhopper

        I didn’t know TM was now taking Singapore as her new model for the UK. Hilarious U turn to end all U turns if she is – almost all land is government owned, 85 per cent of housing owned by govt owned housing agency and 22 per cent national output is from state owned enterprise (compared with typical western figure of 10 per cent).

  • Kempe

    We never had televised leaders’ debates in the UK until 2010; now it seems they’re essential for democracy.

    All those hundreds of years without them and we never noticed.

    Frankly I’m quite pleased. As Craig intimates these debates hinge on personalities not policies.

    • reel guid

      Oh I see. Because William Pitt the Younger and Charles James Fox didn’t have a TV debate over reform of the East India Company today’s politicians shouldn’t have one either?

    • Chris Rogers

      Kempe,

      Regrettably Ms. May ain’t no Gladstone and she’s incapable of doing a Midlothian Campaign like that conducted by William Gladstone, which entails large crowds and speaking directly to the public, rather than MSM sycophants – she’s a coward full stop and our election is being interfered with not by the bloody Russian, but by a fascist from Australia.

    • Kempe

      I’m not saying they shouldn’t but that they’re not an essential part of the democratic process. As already pointed out they’re another American gimmick we could live without.

    • Bhante

      Kempe April 19, 2017 at 10:14
      “We never had televised leaders’ debates in the UK until 2010”

      That’s rubbish! I can distinctly remember them in the 1970’s. Earlier than that I can’t say, but distictly probable, even though TV in those days was rather rarified as most ordinary people couldn’t afford one. Before that I am sure there would have been leader’s debates on the radio.

  • lwtc247

    While I was a little bit surprised at the level the Labour (re-)election debate reached (…slightly above sea level), I don’t think a Tory-Labour debate would be as useful or informative as some might make think. It’ll be the usual prepared “catchphrases” (which JC is quite guilty of too). There won’t be any intellectual or philosophical debate at all. In fact JC will probably just thank TM when she’s finished being quite nasty at him.

  • mog

    I view this GE as a contest between the dying mainstream media and the mass politics of internet media pluralism.

    • J

      Good point. A central aggregator, with real time updates, thumbnails, headlines and links to the mass of Indy Media stories as they arrive would be a great boost

    • Kempe

      Because after six weeks of non-stop coverage it’s what you’re going to be stuffing into your ears.

  • nevermind

    This election is not in the interest of the UK whatsoever, its to massage party political ego’s with a single narrative they are too scared to undertake.

    The flight forward into an election of self centred power addicts who could not ever imagine being out of the picture. Why Labour agreed to an election now I do not understand, they should have realised long ago that their policies will be drowned out with fluff dressed up as plans as to what to do whence the election is finished.
    Theresa May has given up on Brexit, why else is she forcing her team to concentrate on this ego massaging single issue election, when she should be in the process of ‘getting on with it’, concentrating on ‘getting the best deal for Britain and the UK’, her stated aim.
    For smug BBC journalists to be as complacent as the establishment puppet candidates in their one issue choice, no matter that the NHS is imploding, reeling under 22 billion of cuts, that 1/8 working people are living in utter poverty, that austerity and benefit cuts have decreased mobility and set the events horizon of over 50.000 disabled people to zero, that free schools and academy’s have been wasting millions by creating more millionaire CEO’s. Social care crisis, the future pension hole, the robbing of pension funds, now part and parcel of merging large companies, leaving the taxpayer with the debt.

    If the BBC and the media are thinking that we all will chime in with Brexit issues they purportedly have long solved, after all they should be concentrating on negotiations now, many people might have other ideas.

    I for one shall not chime in with the Brexit narrative, as much as it is important for the future of this country, or may involve myself, there are other issues that need addressing here in Norfolk.

    But by all means ask questions as to what these parties really want. beware the Lib Dems who could have stalled the referendum by getting out of the Tory bed, but rather liked what they could feel under the great duvet of perks and power, for them to now say that they really were so against it, is just another sidestepping lie.

    I shall not help anyone who is evasive, does not want to take a stance on EU citizens and their rights here.

    • lwtc247

      nevermind, How can the people of a country being given a choice (albeit a v. limited one indeed) as to who leads the country, not be in the interests of the UK?

    • MJ

      Craig’s view is that the SNP should slip a commitment to independence into its manifesto and then, if it wins, declare UDI. Not without its problems obviously but at least it’s something.

    • michael norton

      What I want to know is: if Ms. Nicola Sturgeon aims to use this unexpected G.E. as INDYREF2,
      or a precursor, what are her specific plans that she will put before the people in how Scotland can get off to a cracking start.
      How soon before the nuclear submarine base has to leave?
      Will she keep the Queen.
      Will she join the commonwealth
      Will she join/stay in NATO
      What currency will she use.
      Which face will be upon the currency
      What jobs will she provide for the workers who currently manufacture vessels for the Royal Navy.
      Will she keep free prescriptions.
      Will she keep free elderly care.
      Will she keep free university courses.
      Will she raise taxes.
      How will she prepare to wind down the Scottish oil industry.

      • Iain Stewart

        And assuming that you have the answers to your questions, Michael, and your idle curiosity is satisfied, what will you do next?

        • michael norton

          Proffesor.

          It is a little more than Idle Curiosity, I’m not after killing any cats.
          The S. N. P. intend to break up my country, that is
          The United Kingdom.
          I think we ought to know how Ms. Nicola sees it going, don’t u?

          • Republicofscotland

            Well your PM intends to drag Scotland out of the EU, independence will negate that.

            However if I were you I’d be more concerned about the bungling Brexiteers. Who are intent on sinking HMS Brexitania.

      • Republicofscotland

        Again you’ve a cheek Norton asking for answers from a country you dont live in when the Brexiteers can’t answer a single question on anything. David Davis, said give me a year and I might be able to give you some answers.

        Sort out your own house first.

        • michael norton

          Professor and RoS
          So far their is a country known as
          The United Kingdom.

          All people who live in
          The United Kingdom
          have a reason to be concerned about the S. N. P. attempting to break up our country.

          • Pesto

            I live in the UK, and am considerably more concerned about Brexit, than the jock’s whinging off on their own. Brexit will be enormously damaging to our economy.

  • fred

    I don’t see why Nicola Sturgeon would be included in any debates, she’s not elected.

    • Republicofscotland

      Well nothing new there, Sturgeon or for that matter the heads of the other home nations weren’t included in the Brexit debates either, no London decided that, with a unelected PM.

      • fred

        Theresa May is an elected member of the British parliament.

        Nicola Sturgeon isn’t.

      • michael norton

        Demand for oil is expected to slow for the second year in a row, the International Energy Agency has said.

        The forecast comes after years of excess supply, which last year prompted major oil producers to agree to cuts in output.

        The IEA said the oil market was now “very close to balance.”
        http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39588363
        dropped 1 1/2 % just today

  • reel guid

    Off topic, although not really.

    Only 2 Scottish players selected for a squad of 41 with the British & Irish Lions. Strange only 2 selected from a team that won 3 of its Six Nations games and nearly won a fourth in Paris. There are a lot of people out there who don’t want Scots to feel confident about ourselves.

    • reel guid

      To put it another way Scotland scored 30% of the total tries scored by the four Lions countries in the recent Six Nation Tournament. Yet Scotland has slightly less than 5% of the Lions squad.

  • RobG

    This is the CIAdian’s snap verdict on today’s PMQs:

    “Corbyn v May was a relatively tedious stalemate. Corbyn launched a broadside attack, covering a range of what he described as broken Tory promises, but without delivering a memorable headline soundbite. His points about the debate were effective (particularly the comeback towards the end), but anyone listening and hoping to glean one single reason why people should vote Labour would have been disappointed. May at least had a more robust soundbite – set up for her in advance by Alberto Costa’s question (see 12.05pm). It was glib, but serviceable for the election campaign.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2017/apr/19/election-2017-theresa-may-mps-early-vote-politics-live?page=with:block-58f74818e4b0e0ec04f025a3#block-58f74818e4b0e0ec04f025a3

    For those who missed it, you can find the first part of today’s PMQs here…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puCE7L2ysMc

  • H.M. Cord Meyer

    Craig’s pet conservatives are trying hard to condescend to him, imputing panic at this bathetic staged election. Everyone knows Gina Haspel picked your next PM years ago and you little suckups have nothing whatever to say about it. Now that you’re cast out of Europe you residual Brits are going to disappear even further up the USA’s ass. Perhaps we’ll pick your next King too.

  • Hmmm

    Election timed to avoid further embarrassment ‘re. Election expenses fraud? I bet that goes v. Quiet now…

    • RobG

      Quote: “Tory Election Fraud is about to go nuclear, and it’s probably why Theresa May U-turned on a snap election…”

      http://evolvepolitics.com/tory-election-fraud-go-nuclear-probably-theresa-may-u-turned-snap-election/

      Politics is very muddled at the moment, but whatever you think of Jeremy Corbyn, all sides agree that he is a decent and honorable man.

      Theresa & Co (the vassals/poodles of the USA) are going to get slaughtered on the 8th of June, particularly if The Donald continues dropping bombs on people and playing nuclear chicken with Russia.

      Oh, and don’t forget that the twerrorists are coming to get yer.

      Peace is possible, and you’re still just about able to vote for it.

  • Roderick Russell

    No,the resemblance between the UK election and democracy is not coincidental – it is deliberately manufactured. The only recent exercise in real democracy was the referendum, and I write this as someone who supported the “remain” side.

    Still it was to be expected that a government so far ahead in the opinion polls would seek to extend its mandate, particularly when it is getting such good press with so many optimistic articles on the economic front. I would not expect this mood of exuberant economic optimism to continue for long as I suspect that the City is in for a few shocks under Brexit. It looks to me that the Germans, French and others will use the negotiations to grab the City’s business as best they can.

    • michael norton

      France might be in meltdown in a few weeks, it has already been in a State of Emergency for more than twelve months.

      • Bobm

        Were I not as old as I am, and were my family not local, in Herts, I would prefer to make my life in France, whose social and economic model is developing, but potentially healthy.
        As I watch the TV Mrs May is building her case by rubbishing Corbyn, not his policies, just Corbyn.
        The Uk is not in good shape.

          • Ba'al Zevul

            Pound rose, though. Glass half full for speculators.
            And the financial sector was lightly wounded. Glass half full for (real) socialists.

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